Rodopi farmers excluded from DEI’s GAIA Agricultural Tariff due to payment delays
A number of farmers in Rodopi have been left out of DEI’s GAIA discounted agricultural tariff following delayed payments by certain producer groups, according to agronomist Kostas Arabatzis.
As a result, these farmers lost access to the preferential energy pricing of €0.09 per kilowatt-hour under the GAIA program and were instead billed at the significantly higher rate of €0.19 per kWh.
Speaking on ERT, Arabatzis noted that this shift in billing was not accompanied by any alternative payment arrangement or transition plan, leaving affected farmers without options. Even those who were eventually reinstated under the GAIA scheme did so mid-summer, during the peak of agricultural activity, and were thus burdened with increased energy costs during a critical phase of the farming season.
The issue was confirmed by the President of the Rodopi Farmers’ Association, Nikos Bondrotsos, who stated that he will request parliamentary intervention from the region’s MPs to seek a resolution.
